Last weekend I headed up north for a bachelorette party like I told you on Monday, and as I drove back home on Sunday afternoon, I noticed something that made me super happy: the leaves are turning! Layered clothing and delicious hearty meals: what’s not to love about the autumn season?

Today I’m featuring my simple oven roasted duck recipe! This duck is the crispiest of the crispy duck. I first seared it to get a golden skin on the outside of these duck legs, then finished roasting them in the oven while I prepared the other accompaniments. To pair with these tasty duck legs, I made a simple butternut squash puree finished with creamy mascarpone and salty parmesan. Mmmmm! Lastly I finished the dish off with a simple sage butter sauce and crispy sage garnish. And let me tell you – my husband finished every last bite of this meal, which always means it’s a good one!

Melt butter and olive oil in a cast iron skillet set over medium-high heat. Season duck on both sides with kosher salt and ground black pepper. Sear in heated cast iron skillet on either side until skin is crispy and golden brown, about 5-6 minutes per side. Transfer cast iron skillet to oven and cook for 75-80 minutes, until internal temperature reaches 165 degrees Fahrenheit. Halfway through the cooking time, cover pan with a piece of tin foil.

The butternut squash can be prepared in the oven alongside the duck. To prepare, lightly spray a baking sheet with nonstick cooking spray. Cut squash in half through the stem and scoop out seeds. Lightly brush squash with olive oil and season with kosher salt and black pepper. Place butternut squash halves flesh side down on the prepared baking sheet and roast in oven alongside the duck for 50-55 minutes, until butternut squash is fork tender. Let cool for 5-10 minutes before scooping flesh from the skins into a food processor. Add mascarpone and parmesan cheese and pulse until well combined and smooth. Season with extra salt and black pepper to taste if desired. Keep warm until ready to serve.

When there are about 15-20 minutes left of cooking time on the duck, prepare the brown butter sage sauce. Melt butter in a small sauté pan over medium heat. Cook butter until it begins to brown, swirling the pan occasionally. Be sure not to burn the butter; you want it to be nice and golden brown. Add garlic and cook for about 30-45 seconds, then add sage leaves. Butter may splatter when adding the herbs. Stir until combined and turn off heat.

In a separate small saucepan, prepare the sage garnish. Melt butter over medium heat and add whole sage leaves. Butter may splatter when adding the leaves. Allow to fry for about 2-3 minutes, until crispy. Remove sage leaves from butter and set aside for serving.

To serve, plate a large spoonful of butternut squash puree on a plate. Top with one duck leg and drizzle brown butter sage sauce over top. Garnish with 2 crispy sage leaves per plate. Enjoy!